


Part of your world

by LilisBooks



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Has Feelings, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Loves Jaskier | Dandelion, Jaskier | Dandelion Has Feelings, Jaskier | Dandelion Loves Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, M/M, Non-Human Jaskier | Dandelion, So AU I think canon will spit on my face, merman Jaskier
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:33:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24366616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilisBooks/pseuds/LilisBooks
Summary: Jaskier was a merman with the most beautiful voice across the seven seas.Geralt was the crown prince who loved the sea.Both are looking for something more, and when their paths cross, their lives will never be the same.Or the Little Mermaid AU no one asked for.
Relationships: Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon & Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 17
Kudos: 54





	1. Longing

**Author's Note:**

> So, hi! I'm new in writing for this fandom and my knowledge of the characters is only based on the Netflix series and the fanfics I've read in here, which is to say I'm lacking a lot in proper characterisation.  
> Some characters in here are just there because I thought it was what fitted them, and while I'm not sure I did a good job, I think it's not horrible and dreadful. This is something I've been meaning to write for a long time, ever since quarantine started, so it's a little indulgence of mine to write it as it is. It might be a little OOC, but I really hope you enjoy it. 
> 
> What inspired me to write it was this [Tumblr post](https://ladycibia.tumblr.com/post/618819634816303104/trigger-warning-body-horror-i-guess-and-blood) so you should definitely check it out, because it's honestly beautiful. Sadly (?) their AU and my AU end differently, so you know, check it out at your own risk.
> 
> None of this characters or songs belong to me, I'm just a normal girl writing about her favourite characters as to not loser her mind in quarantine.
> 
> Having said that, let's begin.
> 
> Disclaimer: English is not my first language so any mistake you see, please let me know so I can learn and improve! :)

Geralt could feel the air on his skin, messing with his hair yet making him feel alive as nothing else in life. The crew on the ship were working hard while singing a song about fathoms below, making his blood sing with excitement. The world out there was waiting for him and he couldn’t wait to travel it all.

“Perfect,” he said as he turned around to look at his old mentor, who was looking rather sick. “Don’t you think so, Vesemir?”

“Yes, it’s simply delightful,” Vesemir replied sarcastically as he looked at Geralt with a level look. Vesemir had his arms crossed and was looking at Geralt the same way he used to look at him whenever Geralt didn’t know the answer to one of his questions.

“The sea is calm today,” a member of the crew said from his position, tying some knots for the ship, “Queen Calanthe must be in a good mood.”

“Queen Calanthe?” Geralt asked as he went to help the man and to learn some more about life in the sea.

“The Queen of the seven seas,” the sailor said, “ruler of the merpeople, lad. Every good sailor knows about her.”

“Merpeople,” Vesemir said with disinterest, “Geralt, you mustn't pay attention to this nautical nonsense. Merpeople went extinct a long time ago.”

“But it ain’t nonsense,” the sailor exclaimed, looking agitatedly at Vesemir, “it’s the truth. Out there, in the depths of the ocean, they hide from us.”

Vesemir started a disagreement with the sailor, which Geralt tuned out as he knew his mentor better than he knew anything else. However, for once in his life he felt in his gut Vesemir didn’t have all the answers in the world, as something was telling him the sailor was telling the truth.

Looking at the ocean that surrounded him, he let himself enjoy the moment while it lasted.

…

Queen Calanthe was ready to begin the concert, excited to show her people the man who would be their future King, as well as the talents he possessed with his voice. As she arrived at the concert hall, accompanied by her husband, Consort King Eist, and her trusted advisor, Mousesack, she could feel the excitement in the place at the idea of seeing the prince for the first time ever since Pavetta and Duny’s demise.

Her people needed to know they were in good hands, and Calanthe was sure her grandson was the best person for the job. However, as Eist took his position in front of the orchestra and the music began to play, a rather unpleasant feeling began simmering beneath her skin. 

The music continued, and as the notes kept getting higher, ready for the main event, but Calanthe could feel something bad was about to happen. And as the shell where the prince was supposed to be opened, empty and void of said prince, Calanthe felt her blood boil in anger at the realisation of her instincts being on point. The whole kingdom was silent, expectant of their Queen’s reaction.

So much for a good day. 

“Jaskier!”

...

In the other part of town, a young merman was swimming around a sunken ship. His eyes were filled with excitement, and there was a light in his expression at the marvel that was in front of him.

“Jaskier, wait for me!” a voice from afar called for him, startling him out of his thoughts.

“Ciri, come quickly!” he said in response, hushedly. 

“I can’t swim any faster, Jask,” the little mermaid said as she appeared beside him, her blond hair in disarray and floating everywhere around her.

“Look at that!” he exclaimed while pointing at the sunken ship, “isn’t it wonderful?”

“Sure, wonderful is the word I for sure would use to describe this.”

Jaskier paid her no mind, enchanted by the possibilities the wrecked ship held between its walls. He felt like the treasures held in the ship would tell him all the stories he wished to know, as he longed for something more than what was written for him… something beyond the realm.

When Jaskier had been given permission to go to the surface, when he had turned 16, he had caught a glimpse of humanity, even against his grandmother’s wishes. In that glimpse, he had seen beauty and wonderment his kingdom had long forgotten, making his heart ache painfully. He had seen more in those minutes than he ever had in his life in the palace, and suddenly everything around him felt small.

As they swam closer to the ship, Jaskier could feel his excitement grow. Once inside the ship, however, his attention was drawn to a beautiful instrument he had never seen before. It was round and little, with strings attached to it that vibrated and created music. It was made out something Jaskier had never seen, rough and tough beneath his fingers. Yet he could still tell this trinket was meant to play music, the thing he loved more than adventure itself.

He held dearly to the instrument, as for him it meant a closer look to the human world and all those weird feelings it conveyed, something he wished to experience one day. He longed to be human, even if it was just for one day.

“Ciri, have you seen this?” he asked as he held the trinket for her to see. It looked like one of the instruments Eist used to teach him with, but it was smaller and had no magical powers whatsoever. “Do you think humans use it for the same purpose as we do?”

“I have no idea, Jas,” Ciri said with a smile as she watched him, her eyes sparkling with excitement, “but Yen probably knows a thing or two about it.”

“I’ll ask her when we see her again,” Jaskier said as he put the object in the bag he always carried with him, full of human trinkets. It wasn’t like someone would be getting a hold of them ever again, he reasoned.

But before Jaskier could start exploring the place at his heart’s desire, a noise from outside alerted them immediately, putting them on edge. 

“Jaskier!”

Ciri was never one for anguish screams, so when Jaskier heard the panic in her voice, he knew the sight that would welcome him wouldn’t be a pleasant one. Slowly, he turned around, and lo and behold, behind him was a mermaid unlike any other, with her long dark hair wrapped tightly in a bun and her eyes holding all of her anger. Her tail, blood red, contrasted highly with the golden crown in her head. It was Queen Calanthe, with her arms crossed over her chest, looking disapprovingly at Jaskier.

“Hi Grandma,” Jaskier said bashfully as he hid his bag behind him. “How’s it going?”

She didn’t answer, but the vein in her forehead was throbbing faster than before. Beside her were Mousesack, who was the Queen’s counsellor and one of the few mermen who could control magic without a special item, and Consort King Eist, his grandfather, who had a frown on his face. 

“Not good, kiddo,” Eist said as he looked disapprovingly at Jaskier while holding Ciri by her shoulder. Her light blue tail recoiled in guilt. “Today was a very important one.”

“Today?” Jaskier asked, confused. As far as he remembered, there was nothing of importance held in the palace that day.

“Your presentation to the people?” Eist said calmly, looking pointedly at him.

And suddenly Jaskier remembered, feeling guilt and shame engulf him. He looked at the three adults in front of him, confusion and sorrow painting his features.

“I’m so sorry, I lost track of time and I…”

“Nothing!” Queen Calanthe exclaimed as she silenced Jaskier, looking angrier than ever before. “You have duties, child, and it’s of utter importance that you don’t forget them.”

Jaskier said nothing, paralysed at the sight of the Queen of Atlantida looking mighty and powerful. Queen Calanthe approached him carefully, eyeing him from tail to head, making Jaskier want to squirm under such scrutiny.

“I have indulged for very long your little hobby, but I think it’s time we take some drastic measures to ensure you follow your destiny.”

As she said it, she circled Jaskier, with a piercing look in her eyes, owning her title as the Lionfish of Atlantida. A small, predatory smile appeared on her face, making Jaskier gulp in fear.

“Let’s go,” she finally said, turning around without looking back at Jaskier, “it’s almost dinner time.”

For a moment, neither Jaskier, Ciri, Mousesack or Eist knew what had happened, but after they all exchanged a look, they followed Calanthe towards the palace. Before leaving, however, Jaskier took his bag from where it was hidden, which didn’t go unnoticed by Eist and Mousesack, both of them saying nothing of it. 

…

On the other side of the kingdom, in the darkest part of it, a warlock laid in his cave while looking at an orb with a wicked smile on his face. 

“Yes, little one, simmer on that feeling and bathe in it. I have a feeling you will be the ruin of your Queen.”

As Jaskier’s face appeared on the orb, the warlock let out a loud laugh, enjoying the scene that was unfolding beneath his eyes.

...

Jaskier could feel Mousesack’s eyes on him, but he refused to sit down and act embarrassed and remorseful. While he did regret disappointing his grandparents, he did not regret following his true call, looking for adventure and emotion. He had lived a sheltered life behind the palace, and while there was not much to be said regarding adventure in Atlantida, he wanted more.

In the bed next to his was Ciri, completely ignoring Mousesack.

“I’m bored!” She said while flopping down on the bed, calling for his attention.

“I know, little pup,” he said as he sat next to her and played with her hair. “But I don’t think we’re allowed to go out,” he added while looking pointedly at Mousesack.

“I’m sorry Jaskier, but there’s nothing I can do,” Mousesack said from the threshold, not sounding really remorseful at all. “But you called this upon you when you failed to do the one thing you had to do.”

Before Jaskier could say anything, the Queen’s voice resonated around the castle, interrupting their conversation.

"Mousesack!”

Looking conflicted, the man looked at Jaskier and Ciri with a variety of emotions Jaskier hadn’t seen in his face before. However, their Queen called for him again, and after giving them one last look, he turned around to meet his Queen.

Sharing a look of complicity, Ciri and Jaskier left the bed, swimming quickly out of the room and into the palace, looking for the exit. Holding onto the trinket for dear life, Jaskier swam away without looking back.

…

As soon as Mousesack crossed the threshold of his Queen’s chambers, he was welcomed with the sight of two worried parents looking apprehensively at the remembrance of their little family. It was a painting portraying the royal family, Queen Calanthe and Consort King Eist sitting in their thrones, with Pavetta and Duny beside them. Pavetta was holding a baby Ciri in her arms, who was playing with her tale with a look of concentration in her face, while Dunny was laughing with a young Jaskier, both of them with curly brown hair and bright smiles on their faces. 

It was a sight that always broke his heart.

“You called for me, your Majesty?” he asked somberly, making his presence known in a subtle way as to not startle the Queen.

“Yes, Mousesack, I did,” the Queen said as she turned to look at him. “It’s about Jaskier.”

“Well, your Majesty, he’s a teenager, your majesty, barely 19 years old. It’s when they think they know everything and that the world has a personal vendetta against them. He needs someone to steer him away from danger and remind him of his duties as crown prince.”

“That’s exactly why I called you.”

“Your Majesty?” Mousesack asked, confused as to where the Queen was going.

“You’re right, he needs someone to guide him and keep him on the right path and keep him out of trouble.”

“My love,” Consort King Eist began saying before being silenced by the Queen with just one look.

“And you, Mousesack, are the perfect person for the job!”

“Me?” Mousesack asked, perplexed and a little baffled, “Your Highness, I’m sure there are more qualified beings out there for this task.”

“There’s no one I trust more than you, Mousesack,” the Queen said honestly while looking him in the eye.

“Ouch,” Consort King Eist said with a playful smile.

“You indulged him too much,” was all the Queen said before looking right back at Mousesack. Which made him realise there wasn’t really much of a choice.

…

As Mousesack returned to Ciri and Jaskier’s chambers, he saw them swimming away from the castle outside the window. Debating between telling the Queen what was happening or not, he remembered his new duty and decided to follow them instead, hoping to find some answers as to the reason behind Jaskier's behaviour. 

…

Soon after departing from the palace, Jaskier and Ciri arrived at their treasure cave, where they would hide all the human trinkets they found in their journeys across the kingdom. Unbeknown to them, however, was Mousesack right behind them, looking surprised as to the discovery of the cavern.

Before they closed the cave, Mousesack swam quickly towards them, entering the place right before the rock would block the entrance. But the sight that welcomed him was what surprised him the most.

The place was surrounded by human things, most of which Mousesack had never even heard of, in all sorts of different ways and shapes, varying in their states of care. The cave was tall, tall enough that Mousesack thought he could see the surface, and in every place he settled his eyes, there was a human thing.

“Are you alright Jask?” Princess Ciri asked as she put her head on her brother’s shoulder.

“I just wished she understood me,” the Crown Prince said in response, looking defeated. “I don’t see what she sees when I think of my destiny.”

“Look at this stuff, isn’t it neat?” he asked as he swam around the place, holding things dearly, “Wouldn’t you think my collection’s complete?”

The Crown Prince let the objects down, looking detached.

“Wouldn’t you think I’m the boy who has everything?”

Princess Ciri swam near her brother, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. He looked at her in the eyes as he continued.

“Look at this trove, treasures untold. How many wonders can one cavern hold?” he asked, grabbing the objects once more. “Lookin' around here you'd think, sure, he's got everything.”

He began playing with the objects, and as the words started coming out of his mouth, they began acquiring a certain tone, a melody.

“I've got gadgets and gizmos aplenty, whozits and whatzits galore. Do you want thingamabobs? I got twenty. But who cares? No big deal. I want more”

Mousesack had no idea what Jaskier was referring to, but he could hear in his voice Jaskier had been holding onto this feeling for a very long time. And before anyone knew it, Jaskier was singing, with the most beautiful voice Mousesack had ever heard in his long life.

 _I want to be where the people are_ _  
_ _I want to see_ _  
_ _want to see 'em dancin'_ _  
_ _Walkin' around on those_ _  
_ _(Whad'ya call 'em?) oh - feet_

Jaskier grabbed Ciri and they began swimming in circles. Ciri laughed and enjoyed it while Jaskier kept singing his heart’s desire. And while he sang, Ciri and him began imitating the movements of what they thought walking on the surface actually meant.

 _Flippin' your fins you don't get too far_ _  
_ _Legs are required for jumpin', dancin'_ _  
_ _Strollin' along down a_ _  
_ _(What's that word again?) street_

As Jaskier sang, he swam closer and closer to the surface, almost giving Mousesack a heart attack. However, even he could see the longing in the prince’s eyes as he eyed what was beyond the sea. Ciri, on her part, was looking fondly at her brother, love and concern filling her features. 

_Up where they walk_ _  
_ _Up where they run_ _  
_ _Up where they stay all day in the sun_ _  
_ _Wanderin' free_ _  
_ _Wish I could be_ _  
_ _Part of that world_

Jaskier and Ciri were resting at the bottom of the cavern, pretending to enjoy a day under the Sun. Ciri playfully made a whole in the sand where she could lie in, while Jaskier looked at her with a soft smile. 

_What would I give_ _  
_ _If I could live_ _  
_ _Outta these waters?_ _  
_ _What would I pay_ _  
_ _To spend a day_ _  
_ _Warm on the sand?_

However, Jaskier’s next words sounded bitter and painful. Mousesack felt his heart clench at the sight. Even Ciri looked carefully at her brother, the smile on her face dimming a little.

 _Betcha on land_ _  
_ _They understand_ _  
_ _Bet they don't reprimand their children_ _  
_ _Bright young men_ _  
_ _Sick o' swimmin'_ _  
_ _Ready to stand_

Something inside Jaskier changed, and now, he was swimming again, grabbing a thing and showing it to Ciri, who looked just as excited as him. Mousesack could not believe what his eyes were seeing and his ears were hearing.

 _And ready to know what the people know_ _  
_ _Ask 'em my questions_ _  
_ _And get some answers_ _  
_ _What's a fire and why does it_ _  
_ _(What's the word?) burn?_

Again, Jaskier began swimming towards the surface, this time with Ciri in tow, which meant Mousesack was in tow as well. And he would be lying if he said he didn’t want to keep listening to Jaskier.

 _When's it my turn?_ _  
_ _Wouldn't I love_ _  
_ _Love to explore that shore above?_

Jaskier singing was a reflection of his longing for the surface, and Mousesack’s heart broke for the boy, as there was no clear answer to his questions and wishes.

 _Out of the sea_  
_Wish I could be_ _  
_ Part of that world

Jaskier stopped singing, but his face still held the longing his heart most likely felt as well. Mousesack knew he was witnessing something very private and personal, so he decided to make his way back to the palace. However, as luck may have it, he crashed with one of Jaskier’s trinkets, making a series of actions that ended up with him on his bottom and Ciri and Jaskier looking at him worriedly.

“Mousesack!” the Crown Prince explained, “are you alright?”

“What is this place, Jaskier?” the advisor said in return while standing up, “what are you doing here?”

“Well…” the prince said nervously, “this is my… collection and I come here with Ciri whenever I need to…” 

“If your grandmother finds out about this she’ll…”

“But you won’t tell her, right, Mousesack?” Princess Ciri asked from where she was, looking at Mousesack with calculating eyes, much like her grandmother.

“Please Mousesack, she wouldn’t understand!” the Prince begged him.

Mousesack sighed. He had a job to do and a prince to guide.

“Look Jaskier, you’re under a lot of pressure with the presentation and such, why don’t you follow me home and we can talk about what’s going on and…”

But as he was saying the words, a shadow crossed the cavern, engulfing it in shadows. Jaskier stopped in his tracks, stopping Mousesack as well. He turned to look at Ciri with excitement in his eyes.

“Do you think it's…?”

“Only one way to find out,” the Princess answered as she began swimming towards the surface. 

And not one to say no to a challenge, Jaskier followed her, leaving Mousesack behind. 

“Jaskier!” he exclaimed, knowing it would be futile. 

He knew what he had to do.

…

As Jaskier swam towards the ship, he could feel his heartbeat accelerate. But it was outside the water that his heart stopped for a second at the sight. Beside him, he heard Ciri’s words of astonishment at the sight, explosions of colour in the sky above them with the moon looking round and bright in the horizon.

Marvelled at the sight, he barely paid attention when Mousesack called his name and demanded his attention. Feeling bold and brave like never before, he did what he had never done and swam closer to the vessel in front of them, ignoring Mousesack’s cries.

Ciri was close behind, her giggles of excitement making him stronger. Once near the ship, however, he told her to stay back while he climbed the outside of the ship to take a closer look at the humans. He didn’t believe all humans were like his grandmother thought, but there was nothing wrong with taking precautions.

Above the ship, the humans were dancing and laughing, playing all sorts of instruments Jaskier had never seen before. But not everyone was human, as an animal stood in the middle of the boat. The animal looked like nothing Jaskier had seen before, it was small and hairy, and instead of a tail, it had four legs.

The animal smelled him, and slowly approached Jaskier where he was hidden. Feeling a spike of fear, Jaskier hid, hoping for the animal to go away. And once he thought it was safe, he came out of his hiding place, only to be face to face with the beast. However, there was nothing to be afraid of, as the animal was friendly towards him, barking and nuzzling at him.

A whistle called for the animal's attention, and they turned away from Jaskier.

“Roach, come here girl,” a deep, smooth voice said from somewhere in the ship, calling for her.

Roach went away, towards her human, and when she reached them, Jaskier was greeted with the most beautiful human he had ever seen in his entire life.

Tall, strong and sturdy, the man had long white hair that passed beneath his broad shoulders. He was dressed in all black, with a red thing across his waist that Jaskier had never seen before as well as a silver medallion hanging from his neck. But it was the gentle approach he had with Roach that had Jaskier’s heart swooning for him.

A warm feeling began spreading across his chest and, for the first time in his life, Jaskier felt that everything he had been looking for was right in front of him.

“Well, hello, hello,” a voice from beside him said, startling him. “If it isn’t the little merman who longs for legs.”

“Yennefer!” Jaskier exclaimed, startled out of his thoughts, looking away from the man, “What are you doing here?”

“The real question, my friend, is what are you doing here?” Yennefer asked as she sat next to him, “enjoying the view?” she asked teasingly as he looked towards where Jaskier’s eyes had returned. 

The man was petting the animal, and it had so much love and affection in one single touch, that Jaskier’s heart longed for him to be at the receiving end of such attention.

“I had never seen a human like him,” Jaskier said softly, without taking his eyes away from the man. 

“That’s because he’s not like any other human.”

“What do you mean?” Jaskier asked, turning around to look at his friend. “Do you know him?”

“I know of him,” Yennefer said, disinterested, “he’s the Crown Prince of Rivia and is celebrating his 24th birthday.”

“What’s his name?” Jaskier asked, enchanted.

“Geralt,” Yen answered, looking softly at Jaskier, “Crown Prince Geralt of Rivia.”


	2. Searching

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm back and more characters are revealed!! I'm excited to see where this is going!
> 
> This week I have most of my finals so I'm not sure I'll be able to update on the week, but I hope to have next chapter by next weekend.
> 
> Thank you everyone who has read it and liked it and everything, you guys make my days.

The celebration was at its peak, and Vesemir had gifted him an ugly statue that Geralt accepted kindly, as he knew it was Vesemir’s form of saying he was proud of him. However, it was a bit much to Geralt as the statue was in a heroic pose and too exuberant for his tastes.

“You didn’t have to do this,” he said as he eyed the sculpture uncomfortably, “it’s… something else indeed.”

“I ordered it myself,” Vesemir said proudly as he looked at Geralt, “though I was hoping it would be a wedding present.”

“Don’t start with that,” Geralt grunted, kneeling down to pet Roach. “Are you still mad I didn’t fall in love with Princess Triss?”

“Geralt, you must know I’m not the only one,” Vesemir said gruffly, “the whole kingdom wishes for you to be wed with the person of your dreams.”

“I know they’re out there,” Geralt said as he stood up and looked at the sea, “is just that I haven’t found them yet.”

Unbeknown to Geralt, right beneath where he was, a little merman hid in the shadows, listening to his wistful longing for love. The merman turned to look towards Geralt, mesmerized at him.

“Maybe you haven’t searched hard enough,” Vesemir said from where he was standing, calling Geralt’s attention.

“I’ll know when I see them,” Geralt exclaimed as he approached his mentor, “I just know it.”

Vesemir said nothing, only hummed in response, but Geralt paid it no mind. Before he could keep going, a lighting bolt made its presence known, startling the crew. Everyone looked around, waiting for the thunder, hoping it would be far away, but not even a second had passed when the thunder resonated all over the sea.

Every sailor on the boat started moving, securing everything to move the ship away from the storm. However, they were too late as soon enough a lighting bolt hit the mast, breaking it down in half. 

The sea was angry as well, moving violently the ship as the sailors tried to control the vessel, to no avail. Geralt tried to help at the best of his abilities, holding the rudder and steering it away, but once the broken mast had hit the deck, the ship started sinking in the sea.

Thunder and lightning were surrounding them, while the angry violent waves shook everyone. Geralt had to make sure everyone was safe, alongside the rest of the crew, before anything else. Grabbing anyone he could get a hold of, he put them all in a lifeguard boat while the ship went down, throwing Roach towards Vesemir when his foot became trapped with one of the broken woods on deck.

He faintly heard Roach’s bark and Vesemir’s scream before the whole ship blew and everything went black. But before consciousness left him, he swore he could feel someone quietly whispering “I’m here.”

…

While Jaskier was watching helplessly as the ship went down, he could not ignore the anxious feeling in his chest at seeing Prince Geralt heroically throwing Roach towards the older man he had seen him talking to before going down with the ship.

Mousesack and Ciri were far away from the ship and Yennefer was in one of the smaller boats alongside the rest of the crew. But Jaskier knew he couldn’t leave his Prince to die, so as fast as he could he swam towards the shipwreck in search of him.

Numerous trinkets floated above the sea, with no sight of the man. The anxious feeling inside Jaskier’s chest only grew, suffocating him as moments went by with no sign of his Prince. Luckily, as he turned around he was greeted with the unconscious man holding onto a floating piece of the ship. But before he could reach him, his Prince slipped from the floating piece and went down towards the bottom of the sea. 

Panicked, Jaskier swam towards him, forcing his tail and his muscles to go beyond the limits he knew. It wasn’t long before he could reach his Prince and raise him above the surface, quietly whispering to him “I’m here,” while dragging him towards land.

Faintly he could hear barking and the call of his beloved’s name, which Jaskier followed so he could get his Prince to safety. While he had never been actually near land, Jaskier knew it was the only way his Prince would survive, and he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if something happened to him.

As the sun rose above them, Jaskier dragged him towards land, the space that connected both worlds, which Filavandrel had once called “the beach.” Under the rays of the sun, he could see that his Prince’s hair reflected them, making it look even more beautiful than at night. His features, peaceful and calmed, made him look breathtakingly beautiful.

Softly, Jaskier raised its hand and caressed the man’s cheek, finding it oddly soft for someone so rough looking. He couldn’t stop looking at his Prince, which is why when Mousesack called him, he almost screamed.

“Mousesack!” he said, “is he dead?”

“It doesn’t look like it, young prince,” Mousesack said from where he was, examining the body, “which is why I recommend we leave shore as soon as possible. Humans wander around here often.”

Before Jaskier could say something, his Prince exhaled, his chest rising and falling as the air left him. His rosy chapped lips were open, and Jaskier wanted nothing more than to kiss him.

“He’s so beautiful,” he said as he put a strand of white hair behind his Prince’s ear.

 _What would I give to live where you are?_ _  
_ _What would I pay to stay here beside you?_ _  
_ _What would I do to see you smiling at me…?_

From where they were, Ciri and Mousesack could do nothing but watch as Jaskier sang towards the man that had taken his heart, both of them sharing a look of concern at the sight of Jaskier’s face.

 _Where would we walk?_ _  
_ _Where would we run?_ _  
_ _If we could stay all day in the sun_

The clouds above them parted to let pass the rays of the sun, bathing both Jaskier and his Prince under them. Jaskier kept his hand on his Prince’s cheek, even after the man opened his eyes, which sparkled beautifully under the sun, and looked right into them.

 _Just you and me_ _  
_ _And I could be, part of your world_

Barking in the distance caught his attention, making him break eye contact with his Prince. Running towards them was Roach, who looked excited at the sight of them.

“Geralt!” screamed a gruff voice, which made Jaskier share one last look with his Prince before throwing himself at the ocean, only resurfacing when he was back with Ciri and Mousesack. 

“That was a close call, young prince,” Mousesack said, still hidden, “which is why we all just want to forget this ever happened. Queen Calanthe will never know.”

“You won’t tell her,” he added while looking at Ciri, to which she nodded, “and I won’t tell her. I will stay in one piece and we’ll all live to never tell the tale.”

Jaskier, however, could not tear his eyes away from the man.

 _I don’t know when_ _  
_ _I don’t know how_ _  
_ _But I know something’s starting right now_   
_Watch and you’ll see_   
_Someday I’ll be_ _  
_ Part of your world

Jaskier sang hoping his Prince would wear him, and if the sudden stop of his walking was anything to go by, he knew they would be reunited soon enough.

...

Once Geralt had regained consciousness, he could only stare at the most beautiful man he had ever seen, surrounded by a halo of light and looking directly at him. His eyes were the bluest blue he had ever encountered and were as deep as the seven seas combined. 

Before he could say something, the man had run away, and in his place Roach appeared, drooling all over Geralt and followed closely by Vesemir. The old man looked like a mess, with his clothes turned apart by the wreck and his hair all over the place.

“You certainly enjoy rising my blood pressure, young man,” Vesemir said as he helped Geralt to stand up,

“A man, he rescued me,” Geralt said as he looked around, “he was just here, singing to me.”

Vesemir followed closely, looking to stabilize him. 

“He had the most beautiful voice you’ve ever heard, Vesemir,” he sighed wistfully as he looked towards the sea and lost his balance.

Vesemir quickly caught him, laughing a little at seeing his young ward so mesmerized.

“I think you drink a little too much seawater, boy,” he said as he put Geralt’s arm on his shoulders to help him walk, “let’s go home.”

Geralt looked at the sea while Vesemir helped him, seeing Roach bark towards a rock, where he could almost see a couple of bright blue eyes. He shook his head to look better, only to open his eyes to find nothing. Roach was running towards him, but Geralt could feel like something was missing. 

As a faint song reached his ears, he stopped, basking in the magical sound that he would treasure inside his head with a voice he was sure he would never forget.

…

Across the sea, through a magic orb, the warlock looked at the scene unfolding in front of him with a wicked smile on his face. Everything was coming together rather perfectly and he couldn’t wait to see Queen Calanthe’s fall. 

“My garden needs a new flower,” he said with a vicious laugh, looking towards it where various deformed creatures looked helplessly at him.

He couldn’t wait for it.

…

“Jaskier!” Eist called as he entered the prince’s bedroom, “you’ve been here all morning and your…”

He was interrupted by a humming Jaskier, looking pleased and content in a way Eist had never seen him before. Jaskier looked like he was daydreaming, humming quietly to himself as he freshened up in front of the mirror.

Laughing softly, he picked one of the flowers near his window and played with it, smiling tenderly at it. Looking up, he realised Eist was in the room, and while still humming, he went towards him and started dancing.

Eist smiled at him, a little weirded out at his grandson’s behaviour. He had never seen him act like that before and while a little concerned, he was happy to see him so happy, especially after the disagreement he had the day prior with Calanthe.

Jaskier was still humming and dancing, not noticing anyone else in the room, only to be surprised when he crashed against his grandmother, who looked puzzled at him.

“Oh, good morning, dear grandmother,” Jaskier said as he placed the little flower on Calanthe’s hair and kept swimming away, never stopping his song 

“What has gotten into him?” Calanthe asked him, looking as perplexed as Eist felt.

“Well, isn’t it obvious?” He asked as he went towards his wife, smiling softly at her.

“No! What’s wrong with him?”

“He’s in love, my dear.”

“Jaskier… in love?” Calanthe asked, pleased, as she took the flower in her hair and looked at it. A soft smile appeared on her face. “I like the sound of that.”

...

“Okay, everything is fine,” Mousesack said as he swam around near Jaskier, who was busy with a flower, “I doubt the Queen knows what’s going on.”

He abruptly stopped, looking rather pale.

“But I doubt it can remain hidden for long,” he said while looking at Jaskier, “you’re not exactly subtle with your affections.”

“How can you ask me such a thing, dear Mousesack?” the Prince said while holding the flower delicately in his hands. “Love is such a wonderful thing.”

“Love?”

“I have to see him again tonight! Filavandrel knows where he lives and he can tell me where I can find him and then we will talk and...”

“Jaskier!” Mousesack exclaimed, stopping the prince on his tracks, “Stop with this nonsense already.”

“But Mousesack, you don’t understand!”

“What don’t I understand, young boy? That you barely know this human yet you’re fantasising about revealing yourself to him as a merman? You know humans don’t react kindly towards our race.”

“He’s different!”

“Oh, really, how so? Have you two talked long enough for you to know such a thing?”

“I just know it!” Jaskier exclaimed, throwing his arms up above him and letting the flower drop beside him. “He is not like other humans.”

“Your home is down here, Jaskier,” Mousesack said, emphasizing his words, “That world is a mess and life down here is so much better than on the surface.”

“You don’t know that!” Jaskier sat down with a huff in the nearest rock

“Oh, but I do,” Mousesack sat down next to him and turned to look at the prince, “I’ve seen first hand their wars and their weapons, the cruelty that lays in their hearts and the ambition that drives her actions.”

“Long before you were born, Queen Calanthe actually allowed us to go to the surface and enjoy the sunshine. We would laugh and play above the water and talk with various creatures of the land. The elves were our friends, much like you are with Filavandrel. She actually married your grandfather on the surface, on the land you called the beach, with your mother and father as witnesses. But then the “Great Cleansing” began and our people and the elves were slaughtered.”

Mousesack’s voice turned sad, looking far away into the distance.

“You know your parents were one of the casualties of the cleanse, Jaskier. What you don’t know is that you were playing like any other day when a human ship caught a glimpse of you and targeted you with their weapons. I was there with you and your parents ordered me to take you two away from there, as they stayed behind to fight them off. Ciri was barely a few months old and you were only a toddler. Queen Calanthe then banished our kind from ever going to the surface, and kept you and Ciri hid in the castle, only letting you leave once when you turned 16 so you could see for yourself that the surface was nothing compared to our kingdom and you’d stop wandering around against her rule.”

“If she didn’t want me to wish for more, then why allow that?”

“She didn’t think you’d see more than the moon and the stars above you, and you’d find it lacked the colours of the sea.”

“I saw a human wedding above a ship. I saw them using all those trinkets Yen used to tell me and Ciri about. It was so full of colour and life, music everywhere... I…”

“Jaskier, but what about your people, your world?”

“I’ve never felt like I belong here!” Jaskier yelled as he started pacing around the rock, “When we were at the beach and he looked at me I… swear I felt like what I was missing was right in front of him.”

“Jaskier!” Princess Ciri cried with excitement as she approached them, interrupting their conversation, “I have something for you!” she added as she passed them, swimming away.

Mousesack and Jaskier exchanged a look before deciding to follow Ciri, Jaskier with excitement and Mousesack with dread. He just hoped the Queen wouldn’t find out.

…

“I can’t find Mousesack anywhere,” Eist said as he entered the throne room, “Ciri and Jaskier are not in the palace.”

“Well, we can count they’re with Mousesack, and that they’re safe.”

“Do you think he knows who Jaskier is in love with?”

“He’s always been close to the kids, and with his new task, I’m sure has been talking with Jaskier more.”

“Who do you think they are?” Eist asked as he sat on the throne next to her.

“Probably someone Jaskier met in one of his escapades around the kingdom,” she said dismissively as she looked outside the window.

“You don’t care they’re not royal,” Eist stated as he looked in the same direction as hers.

“As long as Jaskier is happy, I don’t care.” 

But as she said those words, she saw Jaskier, Ciri and Mousesack swimming away across the field. Exchanging a look with Eist, they swam together after them, hoping to meet the person who held Jaskier’s affections.

…

“Ciri!” Jaskier called from behind her as they entered their cavern, “Why don’t you tell me already what’s with all this mystery?”

“Be quiet Jask,” she shushed him as she closed his eyes, “It’s a surprise!”

They stopped, with Mousesack close behind, and Ciri uncovered his eyes, revealing the statue they had seen above the man’s ship. She felt delighted at seeing Jaskier’s eyes light up at the sight, feeling rewarded for her efforts.

“Oh, Ciri! It’s wonderful!” he exclaimed as he approached the statue, afraid to touch it. “You’re marvellous, pup.”

Ciri smiled at her brother, accepting his hug when he approached her.

“It looks just like him!” Jaskier said as he approached the statue once more, “He looks as stoic as him, heroic and valiant!”

Ciri laughed at her brother’s antics, happy to see him in a good mood. 

“Oh, Geralt, you want me to run away with you?” he asked the statue, calling Ciri’s attention, “this is all so sudden!”

“You don’t need to thank me for saving you, anyone would’ve done it!” he added while curling himself around the statue. 

His turquoise tail was flapping around, playing near the statue, and Jaskier’s giggles were like music to her ears. While she was happy for her brother, she felt a pang of sadness at the possibility of him leaving her behind. Ever since their parents' death, they had been inseparable, always together looking for adventure around the kingdom behind their grandmother’s back. 

Jaskier began twirling and laughing, grabbing Ciri with him, which is why neither of them heard Mousesack’s scream. 

“Your Majesty!” Ciri heard vaguely, which made her look at Jaskier and see dread in his eyes. “I… We… You see…”

“Is this what you call keeping an eye on my grandson?” the Queen asked as she looked furious at them, burning anger in her eyes. “What’s the meaning of this?”

“It’s my collection of treasures!” Jaskier exclaimed happily, as he shooed Ciri away, with their grandfather. “and…”

“I consider myself a very reasonable Queen,” the Queen said, interrupting him, “and when I establish certain simple rules, I expect them to be followed to the letter.”

“But I…”

“What’s that that you saved a human?” she asked, pointing accusingly at the statue in the middle of the room. There was so much hatred in her voice, even Ciri and Eist recoiled from it.

“I had to! He was going to drown!” Jaskier pleaded with her.

“All contact between merpeople and humankind is forbidden!” the Queen silenced him, “everyone knows that Jaskier and you’re no extent to that rule!”

“He would’ve died!”

“What’s one human-less to worry about?”

“You don’t even know him!” Ciri exclaimed from where she was, fighting with Eist to be released. She noticed from the corner of her eye Jaskier pleading silently for her to stay away from the confrontation, but she couldn’t stand their grandmother attacking Jaskier’s love.

“I don’t need to know him to know he’s exactly like all of his kind,” the Queen said venomously, “Humanity is all the same, without a speck of honour, of courage and respect for life in the sea. They eat fish and murder our kind without remorse. They have no feelings.”

“Geralt is different!” Jaskier exclaimed, foolishly, as their grandmother turned to look at them with a manic look in her eyes.

“Is that so?” She asked, calmly, much too calmly for Ciri’s taste, “And he doesn’t care that you’re a mermaid? That you’re much different than him?”

“He wouldn’t hurt me!”

“Really?” Grandma said, sceptically, “Well, if that’s true, then he will understand when I do this!” she exclaimed, throwing a lighting bolt from her trident, blowing up the statue in million pieces, to Ciri’s horror.

She heard her brother’s scream of anguish, running towards the scrambled pieces while crying. Eist let her go, and without caring for anything else, she went to help her brother.

“I don’t care if you hate me, but you must learn that humankind is not good for you,” she added as she kept destroying everything else inside the cavern. Ciri contemplated in anguish the destruction of their beloved treasures while holding a crying Jaskier in her arms. 

“Please stop!” Jaskier begged as the queen kept destroying their secret place.

Object after object disappeared, leaving them surrounded with nothing but broken pieces of broken dreams. Jaskier was holding a piece of Geralt’s face, keeping it close to his heart while he cried.

“How could you do this to him?” she yelled at her, sobbing and in pain.

“You’ll both obey my orders without complaint!” She yelled, silencing everything, “or a broken statue will be the last of your concerns,” she finalised as she turned around and left the place, followed by Eist, who looked at their grandchildren with sorrow,

“Jask, no, please stop crying,” she begged her brother, hugging him in an attempt to comfort him. “We can fix this.”

“The princess is right, we…” began saying Mousesack before being interrupted by a broken Jaskier. 

“We?!” he yelled, looking at Mousesack covered in tears, “you’re the one who probably told her of what happened yesterday!”

Ciri turned to look at their tutor with betrayal in her eyes. Mousesack was loyal to the Queen, and if he felt they had disobeyed her, he would’ve talked.

“Get out of here!” she yelled at him before turning her complete attention to her brother, holding him close while he wept.

…

As Ciri comforted him, Jaskier could feel every piece of his broken heart. While he knew his grandmother wouldn’t be pleased with finding out about his love for a human, he had thought she’d understand and be happy for him.

Heartbreak and pain were filling his every fibre, and he wanted nothing more than to run towards Geralt’s arms and feel what he had felt the night before. He didn’t think such amount of pain was possible, but alas it was, and it was destroying him.

“Poor boy,” a squeaky voice called him, driving him away from his thoughts, “so sad, so heartbroken.”

“Such a pretty boy mustn’t shed tears,” another voice, deeper, called, “but his problem is too serious.”

“If there was only a way we could help him,” the first voice said.

“But we can!” the second voice said as two eels appeared from the shadows, circling both Ciri and Jaskier.

“Who are you?” Jaskier asked as he held Ciri close to him.

“Don’t be afraid boy,” the first voice said, “we represent someone who can help you with your problem.”

“Someone who can make your dreams come true,” the second voice added as he swam around Jaskier, separating him from Ciri.

“Just imagine it,” both eels said, at the same time, “your prince and you, together at last. Forever.”

“How can they help us?” Ciri asked, trying to keep the eels away from them.

“Their name is Stregobor, and they have magic that goes beyond this kingdom.”

“The sea warlock?” Jaskier and Ciri asked in unison, perplexed. 

“We… we can’t,” Ciri said nervously while Jaskier only exclaimed, “No!”

“Get out of here and leave us alone!” Jaskier said, dismissing them.

“As you wish,” the first eel said, turning away.

“It was only a suggestion,” added the other as a flap of its fin pushed a broken piece of the statue towards Jaskier.

Jaskier contemplated Geralt’s face in the statue, and with a sigh, he knew what he had to do. After exchanging a look with Ciri, he called for the eels to return.

...

Mousesack waited for them outside the cavern, torn apart on the inside. He wondered how Queen Calanthe had encountered them while also relieved that he didn’t have to keep that secret for much longer. On the other hand, he didn’t like the way she had treated Jaskier, thinking it way too rash for him.

As he kept pondering on what had happened, he saw Jaskier and Ciri exit the cavern, guided by a pair of eels. Eels he knew all too well.

“Jaskier!” he said as he stood in front of him, “where do you think you’re going with scum like that?”

“I’m going to see Stregobor,” Jaskier said, dismissing him.

“Ciri!, you must stop him,” Mousesack pleaded with her, only to find disdain in the princess’ eyes.

“Why don’t you go and tell grandmother,” she said as she swam away, “you’re good at that.”

Not wanting to leave them unprotected, he decided to follow them, hoping for the best but expecting the worst.

…

The eels guided them just outside the kingdom, somewhere Jaskier and Ciri had never seen. Jaskier could feel Ciri trembling beside her, and for a moment considered turning his back and going home. But the memory of their grandmother’s words resonated within him, remembering him why he had to keep going.

“This way,” the eels said in unison as they approached the skeleton of a Serpentine, calling for him. However, he knew Ciri couldn’t go with him.

“Stay here,” he said as he saw Mousesack hiding behind a rock, “Mousesack is here and he’ll protect you.”

“But Jask,” she pleaded, looking at him with her eyes wide open.

“Please Ciri, I… I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

After a moment where neither of them said a thing, Ciri nodded.

“Okay,” she said before hugging him tightly and swimming away, towards Mousesack.

Watching her swim away, Jaskier turned towards the eels and followed them inside the skeleton.

On the entrance of the lair, Jaskier could see various deformed creatures lamenting their fate, echoing through the walls, making him shiver. One even grabbed his tail, dragging him down, which he prevented by turning and turning until the creature let go.

“Come in, come in,” a rough voice called him from deep inside the lair. “Come in, my child.”

Jaskier swam carefully, following the voice.

“We mustn't lurk in doorways. It is not polite to do so,” an octoman said, emerging from said shadows, looking elegant and stopping. He had bushy, grey eyebrows and a crooked nose, while his tentacles were black and long, dancing menacingly at Jaskier. “One might question your upbringing, young boy.”

Stregobor, Jaskier presumed, turned around towards a small desk in the middle of the lair, 

“Now, now,” he said as he pointed at Jaskier to sit across him, “you’re here because you have a thing for this human, that prince that almost drowned yesterday.”

Jaskier nodded, unsure as to how Stregobor knew.

“And who can blame you? He is quite a catch,” the man in front of him said flirtatiously, “Well, angelfish, the solution to your problem is quite simple.”

“It is?” Jaskier asked, leaning towards the octoman, excited.

“The only way to get what you want is to become a human yourself,” the warlock said like it was not a big deal. 

“Can you do that?” Jaskier asked as he began to feel hope growing inside him.

Stregobor smiled as he leaned in his chair.

“My dear, sweet child. That’s what I do.”

Stregobor stood up and approached Jaskier, grabbing him by the shoulders.

“It’s what I live for,” he said from behind him, putting pressure on his shoulders, “To help unfortunate merfolk such as yourself. Poor souls with no one else to turn to.”

“But everyone in the kingdom knows you’re to be feared.”

“While I admit that I have made mistakes in the past and they had a right to call me a warlock, nowadays I have mended my ways and made a switch. Now, I use my magic towards helping the miserable, the lonely, the depressed and the pathetic.”

As he said the words, a cauldron opened, revealing images of merpeople he had helped.

“They come for me for multiple problems, and I help them, of course.” He said as the images in the cauldron relished in happiness. “However, it has happened once or twice when someone couldn’t pay the price and I’m afraid I had to rake ‘em ‘cross the coals.”

He came back near Jaskier, circling him.

“Here’s the deal,” he said as he dragged Jaskier towards his cauldron, “I’ll make you a potion that will turn you into a human for three days.”

“Three days,” he emphasised as one of his tentacles grabbed Jaskier’s face, “It’s important you remember that because before the Sun sets on the third day, you’ve got to get dear old prince to fall in love with you and kiss you.”

“But not just any kiss,” the warlock continued as his cauldron projected a heart with a crown, “it has to be a true love kiss.”

From the corner of his eye, he saw Ciri and Mousesack hiding in the shadows, but he paid them no mind.

“If he does kiss you before the sun sets on the third day, you’ll remain human permanently,” Stregobor said as the projection showed a human Jaskier with legs, getting Jaskier’s hope up. 

“But, if he doesn’t,” the warlock continued as the projection showed human Jaskier turn into a merman once more, “you’ll turn back into a merman and you belong to me.”

“No, Jaskier!” Mousesack said as he approached them, only to be silenced by the eels.

“So, do we have a deal?” Stregobor asked Jaskier, turning his face towards the warlock.

“If I become human, I’ll never be with my grandparents or my sister again,” he said as he looked at Ciri and Mousesack. 

“That’s right,” Stregobor said, “but you’ll have your man.”

The warlock laughed, scaring Jaskier.

“Life is full of tough choices, boy, but you must make a decision now.”

Jaskier began pondering the question, unsure of what to do.

“Oh,” Stregobor said, calling him, “and there’s one more thing.”

“What is it?”

“We haven’t discussed the subject of payment. You can’t get something for nothing, you know?”

“But I don’t have any…” he began saying before being silenced by a tentacle.

“I know, child, I know that. Which is why I don’t ask for much, just a token, a trifle. You won’t even miss it.” 

He approached Jaskier and held his face in his hands. 

“What I want from you, is your voice.”

“My voice?” Jaskier asked, recoiling from Stregobor’s touch, distraught. “But without my voice I’m nothing.”

“You’ll have your voice!” the warlock said, pointing at him, “your pretty face.”

Stregobor walked away.

“Beauty is all that matters, boy. Men up there don’t tolerate a lot of chit chatter, they think people who talk too much are a bore. In land is actually preferred for an intended to be silent.”

Stregobor opened a cabinet and began throwing towards his desk all sorts of ingredients.

“You’ll actually be more successful without your voice if you want my opinion.”

Stregobor began making the potion, calling for Jaskier to approach him.

“You must make your choice, child, I’m a very busy man and I haven’t got all day,” as he said it, an image of Geralt appeared on the projections, luring Jaskier even closer. “The only thing I ask of you is your voice,” the warlock added as he broke the projection.

A magical contract appeared in front of Jaskier, floating and sparkling dangerously. It was gold, like Geralt’s eyes and it called for him.

“Sign here little merman and all your dreams will come true.”

Thinking of Geralt, and only Geralt, Jaskier signed the contract, to the horror of Ciri and Mousesack.

“Beluga sevruga, come winds of the Caspian Sea, larengix glaucitis, et max laryngitis. La Voce to me,” Stregobor chanted as the cauldron in his desk began trembling and spewing. Magic engulfed them, surrounding Jaskier and making Stregobor look like the feared warlock he was known to be.

A pair of hands appeared from the cauldron, looming over Jaskier. Stregobor turned towards him and pointed.

“Now, sing,” he said wickedly. 

“Aa-aa-aah, a-aa-aah,” Jaskier began singing as he felt a ball of light forming in his throat. “Keep singing!” Stregobor ordered as the hands from the cauldron approached him.

“Aa-aa-aah,” Jaskier kept chanting while the two hands grabbed the ball of light and took it away from him, “a-aa-aah.”

His voice then was trapped inside a little nautilus shell, yet before he could properly mourn it, a ball of light entrapped him and dragged him towards the cauldron.

Jaskier could hear Stregobor’s laughter, but the painful transformation of having his tail split in two and transformed into legs almost made him faint. He couldn’t scream so he endured, and after painful moments of change, he was free.

However, he was unable to breathe underwater and began to feel suffocated, seeing his vision become blurred. He could barely muster Ciri and Mousesack swimming towards him and dragging him towards the surface, while Stregobor kept laughing in the back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I'm only familiar with the Netflix show, I think you'll understand why I chose who I chose.
> 
> Also, please let me know what you thought!!
> 
> Till next time guys!
> 
> Be sure to check out this [ Tumblr post ](https://ladycibia.tumblr.com/post/618819634816303104/trigger-warning-body-horror-i-guess-and-blood)


	3. Holding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, a day later than I promised but the new chapter it's here! Sorry for the delay
> 
> Some of you have asked me how Jaskier and Geralt are gonna communicate if Jaskier is gonna write notes to Geralt or something like that, but to me, the way Jaskier communicates is through music, and hopefully, this chapter reflects some of that.
> 
> Hope you like it and I did a good job of it!
> 
> Also, I added an unexpected POV

Geralt was near the sea, playing inside his mind over and over again the song that haunted him. Not for the first time, he wished he had any sort of musical capability so he could recreate the song, but alas it only lived in his mind.

Roach was barking near him, but he wasn’t in the mood to play. He longed for the man who saved him and his voice. 

“That voice, Roach,” he said as he sat next to his dog and pet her, “it’s haunting me.”

He turned to look at the sea.

“I’ve searched for it everywhere.”

He stood up and began walking across the bay.

“Where is he?”

...

Across the bay, Jaskier was having trouble adjusting to his new situation. While marvelled at the sight of his feet, he was naked from the waist down, and his legs still hurt a little due to the transformation. He was sitting in the water, playing around with his feet and Ciri, while Mousesack freaked out next to him.

“Your grandmother will kill me,” he was saying as he paced, “he will look at you and decide she doesn’t need an advisor any more.”

“Mousesack,” Ciri called for him, but he wasn’t listening.

“I will return to the palace right now and tell your grandmother everything. I’m sure she will find a way to return you to normal.”

Jaskier grabbed him by the hand, stopping him, pleading with him with his eyes to stop.

“She will convince the sea warlock to give you back your voice and in no time you’ll be back home,” he turned to look at Jaskier, and his eyes looked so sad at the idea, Mousesack caved in, “miserable for the rest of your life.”

“Okay, fine, I’ll help you find your prince,” Mousesack said, defeated while Jaskier and Ciri cheered silently.

“You can transform into an animal and stay with Jaskier, so Grandmother knows he’s not alone when she finds out!!” Ciri proposed with excitement, looking at her brother and Mousesack.

Jaskier nodded encouragingly at his sister's words.

“Besides, by the time Grandmother knows what happened, Jaskier will have Geralt’s love and he’ll be human permanently!”

And how Jaskier longed for that.

“And who will take care of you, young lady?” Mousesack asked after he had transformed itself into a little crab, red like his tail.

“I can stay with my friend Dara,” she said as she turned to look beyond the shore, “he’s an elf and lives near here with Yennefer. I’ll stay there to be near Jask and help him with whatever he needs in order to win Geralt’s heart.”

Jaskier smiled at her with his thumbs up.

“First things first, young man,” Mousesack said as he grabbed the first thing near them to cover Jaskier, “I don’t think humans are one for nudity, so you might want to cover yourself with this.”

…

Walking across the shore, Geralt looked detached while next to Roach, which displeased her, to say the least. Her human shouldn’t be sad, and if she could do something about it, she would do it, even if it meant going till the ends of the Earth to find his human.

Suddenly, a familiar smell graced her nose, calling for her.

It was Geralt’s human!

Excitedly, Roach ran towards the smell, leaving a perplexed Geralt behind.

...

“You look great, Jask!” Ciri said from the rock she was sitting in as she looked at Jaskier from head to toe with the flag wrapped around him, which in all honesty was a rather odd look for a human. “He won’t know what hit him!”

As Jaskier was turning and swirling, looking at his human legs, a barking sound startled them all, making Ciri jump towards the water in order to hide so she wouldn’t be seen. However, Jaskier and Mousesack weren’t as fast, which meant that before they knew an animal appeared in their line of vision, making them run around the beach in panic. 

Jaskier tried to outrun the animal, but by not having really used his new legs in all the time he had had them, he quickly fell on his feet, with Mousesack trying desperately to shoo the beast away, as much as he could from his position beside Jaskier and in his small size.

However, once the animal approached and looked at them curiously, Jaskier’s heart began to slow down, as he knew this particular animal. It was Roach! But it was when Roach calmed herself down and approached him that Jaskier fully relaxed and pet her.

Being busy petting the animal, Jaskier was startled out of his thoughts when a male voice called for her.

“Roach!” the voice said from outside of Jaskier’s view, but he knew who it was as he would never forget such a voice. His Prince was coming!

Roach ran towards her master, leaving Jaskier startled and his heart racing like it hadn’t before.

“Roach!” The voice said from around the corner, followed closely by his prince. Dressed in all black, with the red thing around his waist and his medallion hanging in his chest, he looked like the man of Jaskier’s dreams, which he was of course but that was beside the point. To Jaskier’s displeasure, however, he didn’t seem to notice Jaskier standing right in front of him.

“Roach...” the prince said as the animal kept huffing and pushing him forward, glancing back at Jaskier every now and then. However, his prince failed to notice him, which gave Jaskier enough time to fix his messy hair. “What has gotten into you, girl?” 

Just as he asked that question, he looked up, noticing Jaskier for the first time. When their eyes met, Jaskier could feel like something inside of him started to explode, a warm feeling he couldn’t quite understand or comprehend. But it was a nice way to feel, he decided as his prince started walking towards him.

“Oh,” the man said, not taking his eyes from Jaskier’s, “oh, I see.”

Roach kept making impatient noises as she made her way towards Jaskier, who looked at the animal and smiled before slowly raising his hand to pet her, which she gladly accepted if her barking was to be interpreted.

As he once again looked at the man that was approaching him, Jaskier felt a knot forming in his throat and if he still had his voice, he would be sure it wouldn’t matter in any way as words had escaped him at the sight of the most beautiful man ever, white hair and amber eyes. It was a colour he had never seen in the sea, only heard of it when Filavandrel told him stories of his adventures in the land. But as Geralt stood in front of him, Jaskier noticed that the gold inside his prince’s eyes was nothing compared to any story Jaskier had ever heard. Not by a long shot.

“Are you alright?” the prince said as he looked at Jaskier, sounding earnest and worried. Jaskier’s heart jumped inside his chest and a blush rushed to his cheeks, making him finally look away from those golden eyes.

“I’m sorry this knuckled head scared you,” the man said with fondness as he petted the animal, ”she’s harmless, really…” he began to say before being interrupted by Jaskier’s presence, as he had decided he needed to be closer to the prince and bathe in that warm that was spreading inside of him.

For a moment, neither of them said a thing before a frown appeared in those beautiful features Jaskier had grown to be fond of in the past few days.

“You… seem very familiar… to me,” he said as he looked at Jaskier with squinted eyes, a frown in his beautiful face. “Have we met before?” he asked as his eyes opened with the thought of a realisation.

Jaskier nodded eagerly and leaned forward in excitement. His prince remembered him! However, Roach decided that was the moment she had to break eye contact between her owner and Jaskier, demanding the man’s attention.

“We have met!” the prince said excitedly as he pushed Roach aside, reflecting every bit of joyfulness Jaskier felt inside of him, “you’re the one! The one I’ve been looking for!”

Roach looked between the two men and barked in happiness, making Jaskier’s smile bigger than before. Such light had never been present inside of him and he didn’t want the feeling to end.

“What’s your name?” the prince asked in tenderness, closing the distance between him and Jaskier and holding him by the arms.

Jaskier tried to respond, forgetting for a moment of the deal he had made to be able to be near his love, but as soon as he realised he could not tell the man in front of him who he was, his heart broke in the process, taking his eyes away from the man.

“What’s wrong?” his prince asked, concerned.

Jaskier couldn’t speak, and he wished to cry for what he had lost. His voice had been what reminded him the most of his parents and now he had lost it. He could no longer see into those beautiful eyes, afraid of the rejection he was sure to follow.

“What is it?” the prince asked after a moment of silence, grabbing Jaskier’s chin and making him look into his eyes. 

Instead of trying to answer, Jaskier just pointed to his throat and looked away once more. 

“You can’t speak?” the prince asked as he searched for Jaskier’s eyes, to which Jaskier replied with swaying his head from side to side as if saying no. 

“Oh,” the man said with disappointment colouring his voice. 

“Oh,” he repeated as he let go of Jaskier and took a step back, glancing at Roach who was beside him. “You can’t be who I thought,” he added as he looked at Jaskier before breaking eye contact.

Roach huffed, annoyed.

Not wanting to give up, however, Jaskier called for the man’s attention with a touch to his shoulder before he started gesturing wildly, trying to explain how he had lost his voice.

“What is it?” his prince asked once more as he looked at Jaskier’s gestures, “Are you hurt?”

Jaskier said no with his head again before going back to the hand gestures.

“No, no, no,” the man said as he passed a hand through his face, “do you need help?” he asked, glancing at Jaskier with worry.

Jaskier’s heart clenched inside his heart at the sight in front of him, which made him double his efforts in trying to explain the situation, making him fall from the rock he was sitting in and into the arms of the prince.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Geralt said as he caught Jaskier, “careful, easy,” he added as he helped Jaskier stand on his two feet. They were so close Jaskier could count the speckles of gold adorning his prince’s eyes, as well as bask on the earnest and righteousness inside those beautiful eyes.

“Geez, you must have really been through something,” his prince said as he held Jaskier’s eyes. “Don’t worry, I’ll help you,” he added as he held Jaskier close to his side and started walking towards where he had appeared. 

Jaskier only had time to look back at Ciri, who was waving at him in encouragement as they walked away. Just when he was about to turn the corner, Ciri went underwater, losing herself from his sight.

He looked inside his clothes at Mousesack, who had a frown on his face at the worry he felt not being able to help Jaskier but smiled at him when he saw how happy Jaskier was inside his Prince’s arms, a man who kept glancing at him every now and then when he thought the other man wasn’t looking. 

And Jaskier? Well, he was sure he’d be able to get that kiss before the three days had passed.

…

Next thing he knew, Jaskier found himself inside a bubble bath, tended by a scary big gentle man with a long, semi-circular scar running from the corner of his mouth across the length of his cheek up to the ear. His voice was metallic and deep, though not as deep as Geralt’s, and his hair was black, contrasting with Geralt’s, but that’s where the differences ended, as to him, Geralt and Eskel look much like brothers, even more so than Ciri and him.

While Jaskier was playing with the bubbles, he heard Eskel lamenting Jaskier’s supposed fate. 

“You poor thing,” Eskel said as he kneeled next to Jaskier outside the bathtub, “to endure a shipwreck and lose your voice in the process is just too much for such a young creature.”

Eskel poured some water above Jaskier’s head, eradicating the bubbles that were there, which only made Jaskier smile.

“You’ll see that in no time you’ll be good as new!” Eskel exclaimed as he stood up.

Jaskier saw Mousesack’s head popping from the flag, but he hid away fast as Eskel approached him.

“I’ll send your… clothes to the laundry,” he said sceptically as he eyed the flag curiously. “I’ll be back in 5,” he added as he closed the door of the room, leaving Jaskier alone with Mousesack.

“I wonder how the humans gathered that you were in a shipwreck and that you lost your voice because of it,” Mousesack said as he approached Jaskier and eyes distrustfully the bathtub. “Are you sure that thing is safe?”

Jaskier nodded enthusiastically, easing some of Mousesack’s anxieties. 

“Well, do you have an idea as to how to get the prince’s heart?” he asked while walking around the edge of the tub, “because so far he doesn’t think you’re the man who saved him, even though you most certainly are.”

Jaskier began thinking, imagining different scenarios where Geralt could notice him but scared nothing would actually accomplish his task. While he was happy Geralt regarded him and his voice with such candour, it conflicted with his mission to win his love.

Frustrated, he popped some bubbles just as the door opened once more.

“Well, little man, it is time for you to get ready for dinner,” Eskel said from the threshold. 

…

“C’mon Geralt,” Vesemir said from where he was seated, drawing Geralt’s attention away from the window, “do you seriously believe that young men around the country go saving people's lives from shipwrecks and then disappear into thin air?”

“He was like no man in this place,” Geralt answered as he turned around to glare at his mentor, “and he was real. I swear to you I’ll find him.”

“And then what?”

“I’ll marry him,” Geralt answered, leaning towards the window once more, losing himself in the sea once more.

Eskel’s laughter interrupted his brooding, as he entered the dining room leading the young man he had encountered on the beach towards them. Geralt’s heart did a weird flip at the sight of the man, looking fresh and nice in a beautiful red doublet with matching pants, accompanied with a long brown coat covering him from head to toe.

His disarray brown hair was perfectly combed, leaving him with his face uncovered. From where he was standing, Geralt could see his eyes opened with excitement. He remembered thinking that he had really blue eyes, so similar to the man that had saved him, which had given him hope until he realised the man was mute.

His sense of honour and duty had led him to offer the man some help, as he looked hopeless and lost in that makeshift dress.

However, he would have to be blind not to acknowledge that the bright man in front of him looked absolutely beautiful.

“Doesn’t he look like a dream, Geralt?” Vesemir asked as he approached him, standing beside him, both of them looking as the young man made his way towards them guided by Eskel.

“Isn’t he beautiful?” Eskel asked once they had reached them, the man staring right at Geralt with his cornflower blue eyes that reminded Geralt of the dream he thought he had after the wreck.

“Breathtakingly so,” is what Geralt could say as he looked at the man, marvelling at the sight of his blush.

Neither Geralt nor the young man made a move, and faintly he could hear Eskel and Vesemir chuckling at them, but Geralt paid them no mind, as he was mesmerized. However, Vesemir took it upon him to break the moment, as he grabbed the young man by the shoulders and led him towards the table.

“Follow me, young man, you must be famished,” Vesemir said as he sat him down. “It’s not an everyday occasion we get such distinguished guests like yourself.”

“Do you want a bucket for your drool, brother?” Eskel asked mockingly as he sat down as well, next to their guest.

Geralt could only grunt in response as he went to his place across the man.

The doors opened once more, to reveal Lambert arriving with their food, much to their delight. The young man’s eyes opened in surprise at the smell, and he turned to look at Geralt in the eyes while silently sharing his excitement with him.

Only a man with no heart would admit that such a sight wasn’t adorable.

Lambert arrived at the table to reveal that night’s dinner, which consisted of grilled octopus with linguini and shrimps on the side to dress in white sauce. Geralt could even see that the pasta his brother had made smelled like fish with lemon. It was making his mouth water with hunger.

A cry interrupted his thoughts, only to realise the young man in front of him was silently sobbing at the sight. Eskel, Vesemir, Geralt and Lambert all exchanged a look, as the man looked absolutely wrecked.

“What happened?” Eskel asked softly as he attempted to comfort the man.

The man couldn’t answer them but he wretchedly pointed towards the food.

“Are you… sad because of the food?” Lambert asked, perplexed at the sight.

“Is it because the fish are dead?” Geralt asked with his usual lack of tact, which was apparently the right and wrong thing to say as the man sobbed harder if one could call that what he was doing. Whatever it was, it was breaking Geralt’s heart.

They all exchanged a look, unsure as to what to do before Geralt got an idea. He stood up and walked towards the man, crouching beside him.

“Hey, hey, please don’t cry,” he said as he grabbed the man’s chin and lifted him up enough that their eyes met, “I have an idea.”

The man stopped sobbing, but tears were still streaming down his face. Geralt couldn’t allow such a sight so he proceeded to clean his face with a handkerchief he had while explaining his plan to the man.

“What about you don’t eat what distresses you and tomorrow you and I prepare something for everyone to taste?”

The man seemed to ponder on that for a second before nodding excitedly at the idea. It was so adorable, Geralt couldn’t contain the smile that appeared on his face.

“Now that that’s settled, let’s have dinner, okay?”

Once the man had nodded once more, Geralt stood up and returned to his seat, pointedly ignoring his brothers’ snickers and Vesemir’s knowing look.

…

Dinner was a quiet affair, although Eskel was surely enjoying the little show his brother and the mysterious man were portraying. Geralt thought he was being suave and controlled by acting like helping the man was not a big deal, while the other man looked at him with adoration written all over his face, especially in those deep blue eyes. 

The man had a childlike wonderment about everything around him, playfully looking at toying with all things near him, which made Eskel nicknamed him as Lark, as they still had yet to learn his name. 

He had settled for eating only bread and vegetables, tearing up every time he caught a glimpse of the dead fish. After a while, everyone on the table had given up on eating them near him, afraid of distraught him.

Eskel knew that, if anyone else had made such a spectacle around his food, Lambert would be kicking them out of Kaer Morhen without a touch of sympathy. But because their guest was who he was and Geralt kept looking menacingly at anyone who looked bad at the lark, Lambert had also stopped eating the fish.

As everyone was finishing their plates, the lark caught sight of a lute that Vesemir had left behind in an attempt to bring music to the place, unsuccessfully. Immediately, his face lit up, and excitedly he called for Geralt’s attention while pointing at the lute.

Geralt, carefully pretending he hadn’t been eyeing the lark all night long, turned to look at the man, silently asking him what happened. The man, taking it as his queue, pointed at the lute and then at him, exaggerating his movements to create something that eluded Eskel. But apparently not Geralt, as he turned to look at the lute and, after silently contemplating the lark once more, nodded, indicating the man was allowed to play with it.

Eagerly, like a puppy, the man stood up and clumsily made his way towards the instrument. Once near it, he reverently picked it up and made his way across the room admiring the lute, caressing it softly with the tips of his fingers. 

Eskel turned to look at Geralt, only to find his brother already watching the young lark, with a soft smile on his face. Eskel was tempted to laugh at him, but eyeing Lambert and Vesemir, he agreed it was a good look on his brother's face.

Once the man had sat down again, Eskel turned to him once more.

“Do you know how to play it?” 

The man nodded excitedly, and after exchanging one last look with Geralt ( _I mean, seriously, c’mon_ ) he began playing a melody Eskel had never heard before.

It was sweet and soft, harmonic and enchanting. The lark lost himself in the song, a faraway look on his face while contemplating the sea, playing with his heart. Everyone around him was mesmerised, but Geralt was the most affected. It was like the man and he spoke a language no one else but them did, both of them harbouring heartbreak in their expressions while looking at the sea.

Eskel had never understood Geralt’s obsession with it, as every time Vesemir took them to the shore, Geralt was the most reluctant to leave. As he grew, his obsession did as well, only for Vesemir to agree to a trip on his birthday and almost be drowned in the process.

The lark’s heartbreaking song ended, with a single tear slipping down his face, only to be ignored as the young man turned to look at Geralt and smiled softly at him. Geralt smiled back, much to the surprise of everyone except the lark at the table, as the man continued with another song, a more pleasant one.

The man continued playing his songs, enchanting everyone around him. Even Lambert was smiling at the music that surrounded them, and Eskel had finally understood why their mentor had wanted to return it to the palace.

The lark was falling asleep, looking adorable as his eyes kept closing while he continued playing the lute, and it wasn’t long before Geralt stood up and placed himself next to the man. 

“You should rest,” he said softly at him while putting his hand above the lark’s, stopping him midsong.

The lark only looked at him, his big blue eyes blinking more often than not. Reluctantly, he stood up, and after one caress more, he gave the lute to Geralt, much to the bewilderment of the man.

Geralt rejected the lute, placing it delicately on the lark’s hand.

“I’d like you to keep it,” Geralt said softly as he looked into the man’s eyes.

Vesemir huffed, amused, at the exchange, which went over by Geralt’s head, as he was very much occupied admiring the lark. But if the blinding smile the lark was giving Geralt was anything to go by, Eskel finally understood why Geralt did what he did.

...

After saying his goodbyes and leaving the dining room with Geralt by his side, Jaskier was having trouble staying awake. Fighting sleep, he stumbled into his quarters and onto the softest bed he had ever been to. 

As he felt the softness underneath him, a gentle cough turned his attention. Geralt was leaning on the doorframe, his arms crossed and his eyes looking at him softly. Jaskier’s heart skipped a beat as he made an effort to sit up.

“I…” Geralt said gently as he looked at Jaskier, “I was wondering if you’d like to go on a trip tomorrow, know Kaer Morhen,” at Jaskier’s confusion he added. “Here, I mean.” 

Jaskier nodded enthusiastically, suddenly awake and standing up to get near Geralt. However, he tripped, still not used to his legs and Geralt caught him, drowning Jaskier once more in those amber eyes he could never forget.

“I got you,” Geralt said softly as he helped Jaskier get in bed. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

With that, he closed the door behind him, leaving Jaskier alone with Mousesack, who was still hiding in his pocket. And as he helped Mousesack out of his pocket, Jaskier heard someone outside calling for him.

After exchanging a confused look with Mousesack, Jaskier looked out the window to find Ciri waving at him from the sea next to the castle. He waved at her happily, smiling at the sight of his sister.

“How was it?” 

“Better than both of us would’ve expected it,” Mousesack said from Jaskier’s shoulder, “but you shouldn’t be here, young lady, someone could see you!”

“Everyone’s at the dining room,” Ciri said dismissively, “Dara told me.”

“The prince invited Jaskier for a date tomorrow,” Mousesack said happily as he climbed down towards Ciri, “maybe then he’ll kiss him.”

Jaskier could only dream of that because while he could feel something from Geralt, he also felt wrong at having him fall for an incomplete version of himself. He wanted Geralt to hear him sing and talk, hoping he would love every part of him.

But he also didn’t regret exchanging his voice for the chance of meeting Geralt, being held by him, listening to him talk. His imagination had been somewhat lacking when faced with the real deal, but Jaskier could only fall further with Geralt’s kindness and that beautiful smile that appeared at dinner after Jaskier had played the lullaby he had composed for Ciri.

While watching Ciri and Mousesack talk, he felt a pang of longing for the ocean, missing dearly swimming around looking for adventures.

“C’mon little fish,” Ciri said from where she was, “tomorrow you have a big date and I want all the details when you get back.”

Yawning, Jaskier nodded as he blew her a kiss.

“Goodnight Jask,” she said softly, “I love you too.”

…

On the other side of the castle, a prince couldn’t get out of his head how beautiful the mysterious man had looked when learning of their journey for the next day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and please, let me know what you think.
> 
> Like Tinkerbell, I need attention (kudos and comments)


	4. Touching

A guard swam as quickly as he could towards his Queen, who was being comforted by Consort King Eist. The guard could see desolation and pain in their faces and hurt for them as he knew his news would not alleviate their sorrow.

“Any sign of them?” the Queen asked as she heard him coming and looked up from where she was being comforted by Consort King Eist. 

“No, your Majesty,” the guard said, remorsefully, “we searched everywhere but there’s no sign of your grandchildren or Mousesack.”

“Keep looking!” His Queen ordered, barely holding herself together. “Search underneath every coral, every fish, every rock. No one will rest until Jaskier and Ciri are back home, safe.”

“Yes, ma'am”, the guard said as he nodded and swam away, pointedly ignoring the wail that echoed in the chambers as the doors closed. 

…

“What have I done?” Calanthe asked as Eist held her as if by holding her he could keep himself together as well. He didn’t know what to do, either to comfort his wife or to bring his children back to them. He feared it would be too late by the time they found them.

…

Jaskier woke up with a knock on his door, feeling fresh and recuperated, excited for the day to come. The door opened to reveal Eskel holding some folded clothes and wearing a gentle smile.

“Good morning, little lark,” Eskel said as he entered the room. “Geralt told us he’s taking you on a tour around here, so I’m here to give you this,” he added pointing to the clothes in his hands.

Jaskier perked up at the sight, getting out of bed excitedly and stumbling a little with the sheets. Eskel laughed, not unkindly, and proceeded to stand by in case Jaskier needed any help. 

With Eskel’s help, getting dressed turned out to be easier and faster, and before he knew, he was standing outside the castle waiting for Geralt to greet him. He was barely containing his excitement, much to the amusement of Eskel, who looked at him trying to suppress a laugh.

“Easy, little lark, Geralt will be here any minute now.”

And as soon as Eskel had uttered those words, Geralt appeared from the stables with a carriage, but instead of sea horses, it was led by similar creatures with four legs and what looked like har. But before Jaskier could wonder what creature was, he caught sight of Geralt, whose hair seemed like it shined under the sunlight with his amber eyes full of warmth and tenderness. Jaskier wished to drown in them and never be parted.

“Good morning, are you ready to part?” the prince asked him as the carriage settled in front of him. Jaskier’s face split because of a huge grin and nodded excitedly as he approached Geralt. A hand appeared in his line of vision, which made him turn to see Geralt offering him help to get on the vehicle, which Jaskier gladly took.

Once in the carriage, Geralt turned to look at Eskel.

“We’ll be back in a few hours, I don’t think…”

“Take as much time as you need, little brother,” Eskel said with a smile, “we’ll take care of everything.”

Geralt nodded and took the reins of the carriage, sharing one look with Jaskier that made his heart jump inside his chest. Jaskier smiled encouragingly at his prince before Geralt made the creatures advance. As the carriage began moving, Jaskier was mesmerised by the movement, which he decided to look closely as he maneuvered himself to be able to see how those creatures moved.

He could hear someone laughing, which made him return to his seat and look at Geralt questioningly, as the older man had a faint blush on his cheeks and was muttering Eskel’s name like a curse. But Jaskier didn’t care particularly for details, as seeing Geralt’s blush did funny things to his heart.

…

Mousesack was not a fan of staying inside Jaskier’s clothes to keep safe guard of the young prince, but the idea of staying inside the castle while Jaskier was alone with the human was inconceivable to him. He had a duty towards his Queen and his prince and princess and he was not going to fail them again.

The ride in the human carriage was an odd one, because while usually Jaskier would fill the silence with chatter, at the moment he couldn’t do such a thing and he could see the young man trying to fill the silence with something. However, the human prince, Geralt, looked like he had no trouble whatsoever to enjoy the silence but at the moment looked at Jaskier with apprehension and uneasiness. Mousesack wished he could help them, but at the time he was rather out of ideas.

However, before he could dwell on those ideas any further, the carriage stopped as it had arrived at the main plaza of the town. Jaskier wasted no time in getting out of the carriage, pulling Geralt from place to place in the town, marvelling at every sight he encountered. Mousesack’s heart filled with love and tenderness when he saw his young prince looking as happy and excited as he once did back in Atlantida when Queen Calanthe had let him out for the first time. 

But it was the look on the other man’s face that gave Mousesack confidence to know that Jaskier would not be doomed. He was looking at Jaskier the same way Eist looked at Calanthe, but no kiss had happened yet, and they were running out of time.

While Jaskier and Geralt were busy walking around the plaza, Mousesack’s attention was caught by Ciri, who was on the water next to Dara and Yennefer, who were standing next to a stand of jewelry and magic rocks, which served to hide Ciri as well .

“Mousesack!” Ciri exclaimed as he approached them, “has he kissed Jaskier already?”

Mousesack denied it with his head.

“I think they’re gonna need our help if we’re gonna want them to kiss and save Jaskier from Stregobor.”

“But how are we gonna do that?” Ciri asked as she exchanged a look with Yennefer and Dara.

“I think I may have an idea as to how to make that happen,” Yennefer said with a soft and measured smile.

Looking back at Jaskier and Geralt, who were dancing obliviously to the rest of the world, Mousesack nodded before turning his attention to Yennefer as she began to explain her plan.

…

As Geralt took the younger man around town, or more accurately the other way around, he couldn’t stop the warm feeling inside his chest at the sight of those bright eyes staring at him with wonder and amazement. It had been a while since anyone but his brothers or father looked at Geralt with anything but blind adoration, greed and/or lust.

The man from the ocean, as Geralt started calling him in his mind, was a breath of fresh air, and Geralt wondered, not for the first time, if there was any possibility he was the man Geralt was so desperately looking for. But before those thoughts could take root, the younger man took his hand and led him towards the bakery, smelling Trish’s freshly baked goods.

...

Jaskier and the human prince had decided to take a boat to a small lake outside of the skirts of town, and with ease and calm, Yennefer and Dara had been able to follow them, indicating Mousesack and Ciri to join them soon after.

The place was empty except for them six, so Yennefer motioned Ciri and Mousesack to start their part of the plan. From the outskirts of the lake, Yennefer stood vigil for her and Dara’s part to come. They were just waiting for the right time.

“Move over, Yennefer, I can’t see a thing,” Dara said as he tried to watch what was happening from behind him.

“Nothing is happening, child,” Yennefer replied, exasperated, “the plan is just about to get started.”

She couldn’t see it, but she was sure Dara was rolling his eyes. Mousesack and Ciri, on their part, were creating the music, just like Jaskier knew how to, creating acoustics and music just with their environment. If Yennefer was inclined towards those particular aspects of life, she would be swooning as well. It was quite romantic.

She was glad that from where she was standing, she was hidden from Jaskier and his prince’s view, as any interruption would probably upset Jaskier. However, from where she was, he could hear perfectly clear everything that was happening between her friend and the human. 

“You know,” the prince started saying, slowly, “I feel bad I don’t know your name.”

Jaskier smiled sadly at him, shrugging one shoulder like it was no big deal.

“Is it… Jeremiah?” the prince asked, earnestly, making Jaskier make a face of horror and Yennefer cough to try and hide her laugh. The prince didn’t find it funny as she did, as he tried to hastily backtrack and guess again.

“How about Adam? Brian? Roger?”

Jaskier just kept saying no, and the prince was slowly losing confidence. Sighing, Yennefer whispered to the air: “It’s Jaskier. His name is Jaskier.”

“Jaskier?” The prince asked, looking around, confused. Sentiment that was erased the minute Jaskier started nodding earnestly. 

“Jaskier,” the prince repeated again, smiling softly, “That… really suits you. Jaskier.”

They started moving closer, inch by inch, looking at their lips every now and then. Yennefer felt like she should give them some privacy, but the fate of Jaskier’s life was on that one kiss. If he didn’t get that kiss, Yennefer would lose her friend forever.

However, before the distance could be closed, the small boat where they were turned over and they ended up in the water. Even if Yen couldn’t see anything wrong with what happened, she had a bad feeling about what would come next. As the prince helped Jaskier stand up, she decided to follow her gut.

…

“That was a close one, too close,” Stregobor said as he looked at the orb with Jaskier and the human prince in it. “That little tramp, he’s better than I thought!”

He started moving around his lair, looking for ingredients for a spell. He had to hurry. At the rate things were developing, the prince would kiss Jaskier by sunset for sure. And that wouldn’t bode well with Stregobor at all. He had to take matters into his own tentacles if he wanted to possess Jaskier and Calanthe in return. 

...

Geralt was anxious, to say the least. He still wanted to find the mysterious man that had saved him that fateful night, but after the day he had spent with Jaskier, and what a beautiful name that  _ Dandelion _ was, he no longer felt like longing for his saviour. Even without his voice, Jaskier made him laugh and brought light into his life in a way he hadn’t thought someone could.

Even Lambert, Eskel and Vesemir were taunting him whenever Jaskier was near him, as the young mad held such adoration in those big blue eyes it was impossible to mistake it for anything else. Maybe whoever had saved him wasn’t the man he had been looking for, even if that voice still haunted him.

“Geralt,” he remembered his father telling him after they returned from their trip to the pond, soaking wet. “If I may say so, far better than any dream man is one of flesh and blood, one warm and caring, right before your eyes.” 

He looked pensive at the sea, lost in his thoughts when a soft melody reached his ears. Turning around slowly, he saw Jaskier crouched beside a pond where a young girl with platinum hair was smiling softly at him. While the girl was inside the pond, it was Jaskier playing the lute Geralt had given him that first dinner that caught his attention. But instead of playing the songs he had played that night, he was playing a song Geralt thought no one else knew.

A song he had only heard after being rescued from drowning. 

If he remembered hard enough, he could distinguish Jaskier’s features in the angelic face that had welcomed him when he had woken up and that those blue eyes were indeed Jaskier’s. At that realisation, his heart began pacing furiously inside his chest as he noticed he had been an oblivious fool.

He began running towards Jaskier, eager to hear more of that song and look into those cornflower blue eyes, when suddenly a magical voice caught his attention, turning his eyes away from Jaskier. He only managed to see a young man with black hair when his vision became fogged and the next thing he knew, everything went blank.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed Yen for Filavandrel cause I love Yen and I miss her.


End file.
